Signaling system for elevators



June 1932- A. G. BLAIR 6 SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR ELEVATORS Filed Dec. 1, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet l I10 VOL T5 UP 1 DOWN INVENTOR 9 "2 Ari/Z111 @Biair M ATTOR EY June 28, 1932.

l [/0 VOL T A. G. BLAIR SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR ELEVATORS Filed Dec. 1, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR M ATTORNEY June 28, 1932. v A, G BLMR 1,865,166

SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR ELEVATORS Filed Dec. 1, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 47 0 M ATTORNEY Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES ARTHUR 'G. BLAIR, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY M ESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

WESTm'G-HOUSE ELECTRIC ELEVATOR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COR- PORATION OF ILLINOIS SIGNALING sYsrErr FOR ELEVATORS Application filed December 1, 1924. Serial No. 753,061

This invention relates to elevator signaling systems and generically considered has for its object and purpose to provide an automatic control system for the signals for elevators, which is simple in its construction and more compact i'n the arrangcinentof the commutator and other necessary parts than is the case in signaling systems of this character now in general use.

It is one of the important objects of my present improvement to provide a very simple formof commutator, which controls the signal lantern circuits, and operating means therefor which may be arrangedin either vertical or horizontal position adjacent to the elevator hatchway, and in arelatively small space. v t J In one embodiment of this new commutator, the brushes are mounted in or carried by I a single slab or plate of insulating material,

mounted and arranged for movement at all times in a single plane or straight line. This arrangement of the brushes minimizes the possibility of short circuiting and also the possible failure or partial failure of the system, due to wearing of the commutator plates or segments over which the brushes move.

It is another important object of the invention to provide an improved operating means for the mercury pot relays for restoring the signal which is given upon the operation of a push button or other switch. I It is also a further object of my present invention to provide a directional control switch automatically operated from the commutator operating means for controlling the circuit connections to the-signals in the up and down movements of the elevator; I also propose to provide each of the signal lanterns with a relay, said relays being operated from the directional switch and thereby necessitating the use of only a singlewire connection with the series of lanterns, thus result ing in an appreciable saving in wire andin the conduit within which the wires are enclosed and which is located in the elevator hatch way. L WVith the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the improved elevator signal system and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts, as will be-hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated one simple and practical embodiment of the invention, and in which similar characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several -views,

Figures 1 and '1 are diagrammatic views showing my improved signaling system as applied to two elevators, certain of the wire connections for the commutator for one elevator being omitted in the interest of clearness. r

Figure 2 is a detail View looking at right angles-to Figure 1 and showing one of the 'commutators and the automatic means for actuating the directional switch.

Figure 3 is a detail elevation of the brush holder for the commutator,

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line H of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3,

' Figure 6 is. a detail elevation of one of the mercury pot relays on the control board,

Figure 7 is an end view thereof,

Figure 8 is a detail elevation of the directional switch, and

Figure 9 is an end elevation thereof.

For purposes of illustration in Figure 1 of the drawings, I have diagrammatically shown two elevators, indicated at 5, which travel in separate hatch ways. It will be understood, however, as the description proceeds, that the signaling system is applicable as well to a bank or series of elevators of greater number. i

For each of the elevators, there is provided arcommutator for the purpose of antomatically controlling the signal circuits for the signal-lanterns at the various floor landings. This commutator, I have shown in detail inFigures 3, 4: and 5, of the drawings, and in a preferable embodiment thereof, it includes a suitable base 6 of bakelite or other insulating material, upon one side of which there is mounted and secured a plurality of PATENT: OFFICE series of circuit closing plates or segments. As shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, three series of these segments are operative in the downward travel of the elevator and the other 3 series are operative in the upward travel of the elevator, such connection of the three series of commutator segments in the signaling circuits being automatically effected through the medium of a directional switch 29 to be hereinafter described. On each side of the commutator base, the series of spaced segments 7 are the lantern segments, the next series of segments 8'are the mercury pot segments and the third series of segments 9 are the set back or the restoring segments.

The signal lanterns, shown at 10, are each provided with a relay 11, said relays being respectively connected with the two series of lantern segments 7 of the commutator. With the exception of the signal lanterns on the lower-most and upper-most floors, which are not provided with a relay 11, but have one side of their circuits respectively connected with one of the segments in the respective series of the lantern segments 7. A single feed wire 12 connects the series of lanterns 10 for both the up and down directions with the directional switch and the series of relays 11 are also connected with said switch by the wire 13.

The commutator brushes hereinafter referred to are mounted in a slab 14 of bakelite or other insulating material, having suitable guides 15 on its opposite edges engaged in grooves or channels 16 in the edges of the base slab 14. However, if desired, any other suitable means for holding the slab 14: in proper relation with the commutator base may be provided. To the lower end of the slab 14:, suitable weights indicated at 17, are fixed and a strap or other flexible element 18 is connected to the upper end of said slab, and is trained over a suitable guide 19. This flexible member is connected to av traveling nut 20 on the rotatably mounted worm screw 21. This screw may be conveniently actuated by a flexible connection 22 with the sprocket or sheave 23, which is driven by the elevator mechanism (not shown). The worm screw 21 is reduced at one of its ends and has a switch arm 24 frictionally fitted thereon. This switch arm is adapted for engagement with spaced contact plates 25 which are respectively connected by the wires 26 with the solenoids 27 and 28, mounted upon one side of the base of the directional switch generally indicated at 29. The switch arm 2 1 is connected by wire 30 and the manually operable switch 31 on the control board with a source of 10 volt current.

The directional switch 29 is provided with two series of mercury pots 31' which are connected respectively with the brushes 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60 and 61, one series of such brushes being provided upon the movable element 14 of the commutator for each series of mercury pots 31' and said brushes respectively engaging upon the up and down scrics of wires connecting the mercury pots with the movable brushes and bound together in a. movable cable indicated at 62, which moves in the ha chway. The movable switch element is in the form of a plate 32 of suitable insulating material which is pivotally balanced between suitable bearings or supports 33 on the switch base. The spring 34:, having its intermediate portion fixed to one of these bearings, is provided with parallel arms equi-distantly spaced from opposite sides of the pivotal axis plate and bearing upon the upper side of said plate. This plate carries two series of circuit closing members 35, adapted to engage in the respective series of mercury pots 31 when the switch plate is in one position. The cores of the electromagnets 27 and 28 are respectively connected, as shown at- 36 and 37, to the plate 32 at opposite sides of its pivot.

Upon the control. board 39 there is provided a plurality of relays, each of which includes a solenoid coil 40 and an electro-magnet 41. The movable core 42 of the solenoid coil is adapted to engage in a mercury pot 13. These mercury pots on the control. board are connected by wire 44 through the switch 14 to a 110 volt feed line. The mercury pot segments 8 of the commutators for the different elevators are connected with the solenoid coils in series with each other through the wires 45, it being understood. of course, that the mercury pots for the up and down direct-ions are connected with different solenoids.

The field winding of each solenoid is connected by wire 16 with the 10 volt feed line, which is also connected by wire 47. with one winding of the electro-magnet 11. The other winding of the electro-inagnet is connected by wire 48 with one of the elevator push buttons 419. These passenger operated switches are con nccted through wire 49' to the corresponding mercury pots 31 of the reversing switch 29 and to the switch 31. The other winding of the solenoid 10 is connected by wire 50 to one of the set back segments 9 of the commutator. Normally, the core 12 of the solenoid is supported above the mercury potv 43 by a pivoted armature 51 urged by the spring 52 to its normal position. said armature be ng adjacent to the pole piece 53 of the electromagnet.

In the elevator car, there is a double pole switch 63'and when this switch is open. all of the signal connections are broken and the circuit is also broken through he soleno ds 27 and 28 so that the movable plate 32 of the directional switch assumes a neutral position. The signal lamp 623 is supplied with current through wire 64 connected with one of the mercury spots 'ofthe directional switch, and the'wire l2 furnishing current to the lanterns 10, is also connected with switch '63. The 11-0 volt current is supplied to switch 63 through thefe'ed wire 65 and the 10 volt current is supplied to the said switch through'the teed wire 66. 'This switch alsosu-pplies l'OVolt current through wire -67 to the set back brushes 61 of the commutator.

The brush 60 of the commutator closes the circuit through the floor signallantern and lights the same independently of the push button or other passenger operativev switch whenever the car stopsat a floor. "The brush 61, coacting with the restoring or set back segments 9 of the commutator, closes the circuit through the solenoid .40 whenthe car is stopped'at a floor andrestores the signal.

' The lantern relay 11 energized through the closing of the circuityby thedirectional switch through one of the mercury pots 31, said relay being energized only when the car is travelling upward in the .hatchway, since these relays are connected only to the up side of the commutator; Through the relays therefor the connection is changed from the down to the up. lamps of the signal lanterns 10. Bymeans' of the relays I need only employ a single circuit wire connection for both theu and down lamps. As indi- 'cated by the dotted lines in Figures 1, and 1 of the drawings corresponding mercury pots '31" on opposite sides ofthe directional switch are connected with the car signal lamp through the wire' 64. I

' At the start of the travel' of the elevator car in one direction, upon rotation of the worm screw 21, which moves the commutator brushes through the medium of the nut 20, the switch arm 24 is disengaged from one of the contact members 25 and engaged with the other of said members, suitable stops being provided to limit the'movement of the switch armin one direction and hold said arm stationary during the continued rotation of the screw 21. When the switch arm is thus moved into engagement with one of the contacts 25, one of the solenoids 27 or 28 is energized, as the case may be, soas to engage one or the other seriesof the circuit closing elements carried by said plate with one of the series of spaced. mercury pots 31' for the up and down side of the signaling circuit. When the switch arm 24 is not engaged with either of the contact members 25, or the operators switch 63 is open, the circuit is broken through both of the solenoids '27 and 28 and the movable switch plate 32 is held in a neutral position by the spring 34.

It will he understood that when. the circuit is closed through one of the brushes 61 and one of the set back segments 9 of the commutator. the core of the solenoid is lifted from the mercury pot 43 andis held in such elevated or lifted position by the angular lower end of the pivoted armature'51, as seen in Figure 40f the drawings. 1 P 1 In the operation of the signaling system, when one of the push buttons, for instance, the up push button 49a at the fifth floor is oper-ated by a waiting passenger, the electromagnet coil 41 is energized by a circuit from the switch 31, through condu'ctors46 and 70, elc'ctromagnet coil '41, conductor 48, the contact members of push button49a and conductor 49 to the switch 31; The'energization of the electromagnet'coil 41releases the plunger or core 42 of the associated solenoid '40 '(see Fig. 6) so that it makes contact with one of the mercury pots which are connected with a common feed line andt-her'eby completes a circuit for energizing the fup segment 8 on the commutator,'whiehcircuit extends from the switch 44 through conductors 4'4 and 71, mercury pot 43, solenoid core '42 (now disposed in the mercurypot), conductor 45 to the commutator segment '8 Assuming thatthe car is approaching the fifth floor in an up direction, thenthe up brush engages the energized segment 8- 1 and completes a circuit from that segment for flashing the signal lam-p 63 in thecar to indicate that: a stop is to be madeand for lighting the lantern at the fifth floor to indicate that the car is to stop at that floor, which circuit extends from the energized segment 8 through up brush 55, and conductor 72, to the un'cti'on contact members 73 on the switch 29, one branch extendingthrou'gh conductor 74, commutator segment 7', conductor 75, contact segment 7", conductor 76, the up lantern at the fifth floor, conductor 12, the contact members 7 7 on the switch 63, and conductor, to the switch 44; and'the-other branch *extendingfrom thejunction contact members 73 through conductor 64,-thesigna l lamp 634 and conductor 65 to the switch 44. I Thus it will beseen that when the brushes 54 and 55 of 't'hecommutatm"make contact with the'di'fl'ere'ntsegments in the movement of the elevator, they close the signaling circuit and light the floor lantern and the signal lamp two floors inadvance ofthe car reaching such floor, the following brushes 56 and 57 and 58an d 59 nai ntai ningthe lantern li-t until the car reaches such floor;

From the foregoing description, my :im-

proved signaling system and its manner of operation will be readily understood. By t'he'provision of the commutator, having the brush holderarranged for' movement in a single plane, said brush holder with the base on which the commutator segments are mounted, may be very compactly arranged and positioned adjacent to the elevatorhatchway in a minimum space and where said commutator will be easily accessible. The switch actuated by the means for moving the brush holder and which inturn cont-rols the CJI operation of the directional switch, may also be arranged adjacent to the hatchway in either a vertical or horizontal position. By the provision of this directional switch controlling all circuits for the signal lanterns, it will be seen that when the connection with the source of current is broken, all circuit connections with the lanterns are also instantly broken. This will effectually prevent the occurrence of false signals, which sometimes happens in the use of elevator signal systems as now employed. These fea tures in connection with the new mercury pot relays on the control board, provide an elevator signaling system of a very simple character, and one which may be easily and quickly installed.

I have herein referred to an embodiment of my present improvements which I have foundito be very satisfactory in practical operation. Nevertheless, it will be understood that the present disclosure is susceptible of embodiment in various other alternative embodiments, and I therefore reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes in the form, construction and relative arrangement of the various elements as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is 1. In an elevator signaling system having a commutator provided with a series of up and down circuit closing segments and brushes movable thereover, a directional switch having up and down series of circuit making contact members, circuits electrically connecting said contact members with the corresponding series of commutator segments, a movable switch member, two series of circuit closing elements disposed on said member for cooperation with said contact members, means normally maintaining said member in a neutral position for holding open the circuits closable by the'el-ements carried thereby, and electrically controlled means for actuating said movable switch member to alternately engage said elements with the two series of contact members upon reversal of the travel of the elevator car.

2. In an elevator signaling system having a commutator provided with up and down series of circuit closing segments and brushes to travel thereover, a directional switch including two series of contact members, circuits for electrically connecting said contact members with the corresponding series of commutator segments, a pivotally mounted switch member, two series of circuit closing elements disposed on said member for cooperation with the respective series of contact members, means yieldingly retaining said member in a neutral position for holding open the circuits closable by the elements carried thereby, electrically controlled means operatively connected with said member at opposite sides of its pivotal point, and means for energizing said electrically controlled means to pivotally move said member in relatively opposite directions upon reversal of the travel of the elevator car and alternately engage the series of circuit closing elements carried by said member with the corresponding series of switch contacts.

3. In an elevator signaling system having a commutator provided with up and down series of circuit closing segments and brushes to travel thereover, a directional elements carried thereby, a reversing switch controlled by reversal in direction of movement of the car, and electrical means controlled by the reversing switch cooperating with said switch plate at opposite sides of its pivotal point to alternately engage the circuit closing elements thereof with the two series of switch contact members upon reversal of the travel of the elevator car.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereto.

ARTHUR G. BLAIR. 

